1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an individual-adaptive system automatically changing operations adaptive to a user without the user performing a special operation, as well as to an information distribution device for supporting the individual-adaptive system. A device installed in a vehicle is suitable for use with a car navigation system installed on a common automobile or for use with various types of controllers for controlling seat positions, mirror positions, or the engine. Further, the device is suitable for controlling settings of a display screen or sound output of an information terminal device, such as a personal digital assistant (PDA), or a personal computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
A related-art car navigation system does not allow a user to change the color of a startup screen appearing at the time of system startup or the color of a map appearing on a car navigation system. However, so long as a startup screen recorded in a memory card has been loaded or a plurality of settings of map colors have been prepared, a recent car navigation system has made it possible to change the startup screen or the map color so as to meet the user's preference.
For instance, a DVD car navigation system “CN-DV2520IXD” manufactured by Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., Ltd. and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. enables changing of a startup screen by means of selecting the name of an image data file recorded on a smart medium with the aid of a user setting changing function of the car navigation system.
This navigation system enables selection of one from four types of map colors: “Soft,” “Pastel,” “Pop,” and “Dimmer,” for the color of a map appearing on the car navigation system.
As mentioned above, the related-art navigation system enables the user to freely select settings, thereby changing the settings so as to meet his preference. However, the thus- selected settings are not stored in association with information for specifying a user. Hence, if another user uses the system even on only one occasion and changes the settings, the original user is required to select changes from the beginning when attempting to use the system again.